Taber Vibration Isolator for Vacuum and Cryogenic Applications

We present a procedure for the design and construction of a passive, multipole, mechanical high-stop vibration isolator. The isolator, consisting of a stack of metal disks connected by thin wires, attenuates frequencies in the kilohertz range, and is suited to both vacuum and cryogenic environments. We derive an approximate analytical model and compare its predictions for the frequencies of the normal modes to those of a finite element analysis. The analytical model is exact for the modes involving only motion along and rotation about the longitudinal axis, and it gives a good approximate description of the transverse modes. These results show that the high-frequency behavior of a multi-stage isolator is well characterized by the natural frequencies of a single stage. From the single-stage frequency formulae, we derive relationships among the various geometrical parameters of the isolator to guarantee equal attenuation in all degrees of freedom. We then derive expressions for the attenuation attainable with a given isolator length, and find that the most important limiting factor is the elastic limit of the spring wire material. For our application, which requires attenuations of 250 dB at 1 kHz, our model specifies a six-stage design using brass disks of approximately 2 cm in both radius and thickness, connected by 3 cm steel wires of diameters ranging from 25 to 75 microns. We describe the construction of this isolator in detail, and compare measurements of the natural frequencies of a single stage with calculations from the analytical model and the finite element package. For translations along and rotations about the longitudinal axes, all three results are in agreement to within 10% accuracy.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, REVTe

Development of a CCD for ultraviolet imaging using a CCD photocathode combination

CCD in the electron-in mode, coupled with a bi-alkali photocathode to produce UV photon conversion, provides the following desirable features: (1) high UV response of the bi-alkali photocathode; (2) excellent imaging quality of a CCD area array; and (3) high signal-to-noise ratio due to the EBS (electron bombarded silicon) gain of the CCD operating in a tube configuration. This paper describes the rationale and progress made in developing a CCD for use as an UV imager

Supercritical multicomponent solvent coal extraction

The yield of organic extract from the supercritical extraction of coal with larger diameter organic solvents such as toluene is increased by use of a minor amount of from 0.1 to 10% by weight of a second solvent such as methanol having a molecular diameter significantly smaller than the average pore diameter of the coal

Quark Loop Contributions to Neutron, Deuteron, and Mercury EDMs from Supersymmetry without R parity

We present a detailed analysis of the neutron, deuteron and mercury electric dipole moment from supersymmetry without R parity, focusing on the quark-scalar loop contributions. Being proportional to top Yukawa and top mass, such contributions are often large. Analytical expressions illustrating the explicit role of the R-parity violating parameters are given following perturbative diagonalization of mass-squared matrices for the scalars. Dominant contributions come from the combinations $B_i \lambda^{\prime}_{ij1}$ for which we obtain robust bounds. It turns out that neutron and deuteron EDMs receive much stronger contributions than mercury EDM and any null result at the future deuteron EDM experiment or Los Alamos neutron EDM experiment can lead to extra-ordinary constraints on RPV parameter space. Even if R-parity violating couplings are real, CKM phase does induce RPV contribution and for some cases such a contribution is as strong as contribution from phases in the R-parity violating couplings.Hence, we have bounds directly on $|B_i \lambda^{\prime}_{ij1}|$ even if the RPV parameters are all real. Interestingly, even if slepton mass and/or $\mu_0$ is as high as 1 TeV, it still leads to neutron EDM that is an order of magnitude larger than the sensitivity at Los Alamos experiment. Since the results are not much sensitive to $\tan \beta$, our constraints will survive even if other observables tighten the constraints on $\tan \beta$.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review

Modeling Equilibrium of microRNA Expression

MicroRNAs are a class of non-coding RNAs and the dysregulated expression of these short RNA molecules was frequently observed in cancer cells. The steady state level of microRNA concentration may differentiate the biological function of the cells between normal and impaired. To understand the steady state or equilibrium of microRNAs, their interactions with transcription factors and target genes need to be explored and visualized through prediction and network analysis algorithms. This article discusses the application of mathematical model for simulating the dynamics of network feedback loop so as to decipher the mechanism of microRNA regulation

Kinetics and mechanism of formic acid decomposition on Ru(001)

The steady-state rate of decomposition of formic acid on Ru(001) has been measured as a function of surface temperature, parametric in the pressure of formic acid. The products of the decomposition reaction are C0_2, H_2, CO, and H_2)0, i.e., both dehydrogenation and dehydration occur on Ru (001). A similar product distribution has been observed on Ni(110), Ni(100), Ru(100), Fe(100), and Ni(111) surfaces; whereas only dehydrogenation to C0_2 and H_2 occurs on the Cu(100), Cu(110), and Pt(111) surfaces. Only reversible adsorption and desorption of formic acid is observed on the less reactive Ag(110) surface at low temperatures, whereas the more reactive Mo(100) surface is oxidized by formic acid at low temperatures with the products of this reaction being H_2, CO, and H_(2)O (Ref. 10). We report here the confirmation of earlier observations of the occurrence of both dehydrogenation and dehydration of formic acid on Ru(001), and more importantly, we provide a detailed mechanistic description of the steady-state decomposition reaction on this surface in terms of elementary steps

Measuring voltage in a YBa2Cu3O8 superconductor induced by a moving magnet

[[abstract]]This study examined a pair of permanent magnets rotating above a tape-shaped single grain YBa2Cu3O8 (YBCO) superconducting sample (SS) with and without an applied bias current. The root-mean-square voltages (Vrms) induced by the forced movements of the vortices inside the SS were measured. At SS temperatures higher than the critical temperature (Tc) , the induced Vrms was a constant, as expected from Faraday’s law. However, at a temperature in the superconducting transition region, the induced Vrms is a sensitive function of both the motion of the magnet and the bias current applied to the SS. At temperatures below the transition region, the induced Vrms did not drop to zero immediately. Instead, it dropped only to a particular value and then decreased as the temperature decreased. The experimental results obtained at temperatures in the superconducting transition region can be understood by considering the superposition of the two induced voltages. One is induced according to Faraday’s law, and the other one is induced by the flux flow inside the SS, which is caused by the bias current. At temperatures below the transition region, an explanation of how the magnetic field of a moving magnet passes through the superconductor is provided, and is consistent qualitatively with the experimental results. In this explanation, some of the magnetic field is assumed first to fill in and then to be pulled out from all sides of the SS in accordance with Bean’s model as the moving magnet passes through the SS from above.[[incitationindex]]SCI[[booktype]]紙

Wormholes in String Theory

A wormhole is constructed by cutting and joining two spacetimes satisfying the low energy string equations with a dilaton field. In spacetimes described by the "string metric" the dilaton energy-momentum tensor need not satisfy the weak or dominant energy conditions. In the cases considered here the dilaton field violates these energy conditions and is the source of the exotic matter required to maintain the wormhole. There is also a surface stress-energy, that must be produced by additional matter, where the spacetimes are joined. It is shown that wormholes can be constructed for which this additional matter satisfies the weak and dominant energy conditions, so that it could be a form of "normal" matter. Charged dilaton wormholes with a coupling between the dilaton and the electromagnetic field that is more general than in string theory are also briefly discussed.Comment: 9 pages, LaTex, submitted to Phys. Rev.

High Accuracy Fuel Flowmeter, Phase 1

Technology related to aircraft fuel mass - flowmeters was reviewed to determine what flowmeter types could provide 0.25%-of-point accuracy over a 50 to one range in flowrates. Three types were selected and were further analyzed to determine what problem areas prevented them from meeting the high accuracy requirement, and what the further development needs were for each. A dual-turbine volumetric flowmeter with densi-viscometer and microprocessor compensation was selected for its relative simplicity and fast response time. An angular momentum type with a motor-driven, spring-restrained turbine and viscosity shroud was selected for its direct mass-flow output. This concept also employed a turbine for fast response and a microcomputer for accurate viscosity compensation. The third concept employed a vortex precession volumetric flowmeter and was selected for its unobtrusive design. Like the turbine flowmeter, it uses a densi-viscometer and microprocessor for density correction and accurate viscosity compensation